The present invention is directed to cable connecting devices and, more particularly, to a locking bicycle cable connecting apparatus.
In their simplest forms, connectors are used to connect one cable to another. In more complicated cable assemblies such as Bowden cable assemblies where an inner wire slides within an outer casing, it is sometimes necessary to connect the entire cable assembly to another cable assembly or to connect the outer casing to another tubular member while the inner wire is connected to some other structure. An example of the latter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,937. That patent discloses a connector having a first portion for terminating the outer casing of a Bowden cable and a threaded second portion that screws into another structure. While such a connector reliably connects the outer casing to the other structure, the connector must be unscrewed several turns before the cable assembly can be disconnected from the other structure. The same is true when the outer casing is to be connected to the other structure. Thus, there is a need for a cable connector that allows the outer casing of a Bowden cable assembly to be quickly connected to and disconnected from another structure.